


Plans Rewritten

by rameau



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Camelot Remix, Camelot Remix 2015, M/M, Remix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-22 12:47:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3729490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rameau/pseuds/rameau
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy isn't answering his phone and it's affecting Gwaine's Valentine's Day plans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Plans Rewritten

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Imperfect Plans](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1245427) by [eurydice72](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eurydice72/pseuds/eurydice72). 



"Sorry, can't talk right now," Percival said right before hanging up. Again. Gwaine cursed and threw his phone with force—at the bed because he was a fool.

It had only been two days and they'd gone longer than that without speaking before, but not like this. Not with this blade of uncertainty hanging between them.

Gwaine cursed again. He stood still, his hands in his back pockets and chin on chest. His eyes caught a glint from the corner of the room. Gwaine dove after it and slid his finger across the screen.

"Perce?"

"Sorry to disappoint."

"Merlin." Gwaine flopped on his back. He feigned a smile on his face and into his voice: "Shouldn't you and the Pratt commence your yearly fuckathon nowish?"

"Charming as ever. It's good to know Percy's influence on your personality is negligible. And no, Arthur said something about a surprise." Dry as Merlin's tone was, it made Gwaine grin for real.

"It's a ring then. Congratulations to Misters Pendragon."

"Fuck you."

"No, really. I'm happy for you." Gwaine toned down to sincerity. 

"Thanks." Gwaine heard his friend sigh. "Is he still avoiding you?"

Good mood evaporated. "Yes."

"It's only been a few days."

"Yeah, but it's Valentine's and he asked me out on a date."

"And you shot him down with a joke."

"Not my finest hour that's for sure." It was Gwaine's turn to take deep breaths. 

"I don't understand why you don't just tell Percy how you feel. How you've felt of years." Merlin said.

"Merlin, you know why. Percy is a mate and I can _not_ ruin that."

"Ruin what exactly? His silent treatment?"

Gwaine felt a pang that drowned in a wave of deeper pain. "I don't think I could handle another rejection from him. I barely coped with the first."

"You call a string of one night stands and neverending pining coping?"

"No." Gwaine admitted. Coping was not falling on his knees begging every time Percy glanced at him.

"I know you," Merlin said, more serious than Gwaine had ever heard him. "You deserve it."

That shut him up. All the jokes and protestations died on Gwaine's tongue.

"I've no idea what you're talking about," Gwaine said finally.

"Sure you don't." Merlin had the decency not to laugh outright. "Good luck."

"Thanks. And Merlin."

"Yeah?" 

"Run away with me."

"Nice try. Now, go be happy."

Gwaine was too stunned to notice Merlin hanging up. He lay on his back, his phone on his ear, going through all the lines he could have said.

He wanted to sit down for a pint with Merlin, to ask about Will and that one time the three of them had got pissed together. He wanted to ask about Arthur's cock to see Merlin blush and stutter. He wanted to do anything to distract himself from what he had to face.

Percival.

Gwaine sat up and dialled Percy's number again before he could stop himself. _The coin was in the air and Arthur was calling heads._ Gwaine waited. _The coin fell tails up._ Gwaine heard a click and Percy was talking.

"I'm sorry—"  
_"—and flattered—"_  
"—you know—"  
_"—not interested—"_  
"—what to do."  
_"Better luck next time."_

"I love you and I'm not letting you go without a fight."

Gwaine stared at his hands. He'd have to go through with it now.

He counted his steps like old flames he'd ran away from. Some were easy, some hard, and a few made him stumble. The steps up to Percy's apartment, however, weighed on him like all those pretty boys who had vied for Percy's attention. Each had been a cut close to stopping Gwaine's heart. Each time he'd feared losing his best friend because it would never be Gwaine Percy looked at like he'd looked at Lance that first night. 

It had taken years for Gwaine to accept and now he'd had hours to try to reorient himself. How could he make Percy understand? What would he say? 

Gwaine wasn't ready, but his knuckles touched the wood anyway.

He heard Gizmo's bark and chuckled before Percy stole his breath. If he hadn't had years to practice, Gwaine wouldn't have known where to avert his eyes. 

"Someone's not answering his phone." That was the absolute wrong thing to say. Classic, Gwaine thought as he fought a grimace. 

"What do you want?" Gwaine glanced at Percy and flinched. If it had been anyone else to put that expression on him…

"Don't you have somewhere you need to be?" Percy was never this curt with anyone. 

Thinking he'd lost something precious already Gwaine made a choice. "Yeah. Here."

He snuck past Percy's wonderful frame and found the comfy spot on the couch. Gizmo lent him moral support with his full weight. 

Gwaine needed to buy time. A distraction. Glancing around the room, he saw that Percy was planning to watch a film. Which one was it?

"—wasn't how I planed on spending tonight."

The nervousness returned. 

"No, because I buggered that up—didn't I?"

"We don't have to—" Percy danced on the spot.

"Yeah, we do. Mind sitting down?" Percy wasn't cooperating. "Fine. I'll do this your way."

Those crossed arms were like a wall between them. Percy was rejecting him again. Gwaine picked a thread and asked: "You remember how we met?"

"It's not a night I'm likely to forget," Percy said. 

Gwaine nodded and told him about the coin toss. "We might not be in this mess right now."

"We probably wouldn't even be friends—" 

—if you hadn't turned me down and thank fuck for that, Gwaine finished the thought and went to Percy. 

"You're my best friend. I'll admit I was an idiot—but in my defence, in all the time we've known each other, you've never once hinted you wanted more." 

He'd have to give into his desire to touch Percy soon. "I didn't like it, but I respected it. Because that's what I thought you wanted."

Begging. That would be his next step if Percy didn't react soon.

"I've wanted more for a long time now," Percy admitted softly, head hanging as if ashamed. The sight of him made Gwaine melt.

"I've always wanted more." 

His heart and soul were flayed open at Percy's feet.

"So what are you saying?" The tender hopefulness gave Gwaine the push for a last gamble. He flipped the coin again.

"I'll take whatever you're willing to give."


End file.
